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Fishmanmike's 210gal build!


fishmanmike01

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I'm beginning work on the return outlets tonight. I've had others suggest putting a valve just before the returns to create back pressure to feed the manifold. Any manifold users here suggest the same, disagree, or believe this is unneeded?

I've heard about problems using manifolds depending on what you hook up to them. As reactors and other devices begin to clog up, the flow is altered and more of it will find its way into the DT. This will require you to have to adjust the overflow gate valve on the return due to increased water volume coming from the sump.

 

I honestly don't know if restricting some flow with a valve will alter or prevent that. Honestly, I don't even know how much of an issue what I'm suggesting really is. Just something that I've read about.

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I spent roughly 12 hours over the course of the weekend working on the rock work for this build. Thought I'd share and get some opinions. To be honest I'm really wavering on weather to keep the center piece or not. Any opinions are welcomed.

 

Full shot from left angle

E5C255DC-91B5-4F94-A113-E06B4B75C1B3_zps

 

Full shot right angle

D391AA43-6FEF-47E2-BEB6-E02B24BEF380_zps

 

Left structure

6B1CAE30-7209-4B18-9FFB-2309938CBB6E_zps

 

Left side

C26967A1-4BA7-49D3-ADEB-C85AE1B00F7E_zps

 

Right structure

25344B25-A077-4527-ACDC-02B5EA6C0B88_zps

 

Right side

58C19274-C189-4707-B495-0B08F6D0F4EF_zps

 

And a couple from the top

7988BDD6-E00C-43C3-9502-4962EAE6907E_zps

 

5E6C2AA2-9839-4D0A-9559-B4BED9036D69_zps

Edited by fishmanmike01
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Lots of work went into that, well done.

 

If it were me, I'd leave the center out..gives more swimspace, and gaps just look cool once you get corals growing sideways and upward, etc.

 

Another benefit is flow...water likes the path of least resistance, if you put that center in, you can redirect some flow, which may or may not be a good thing, depending on amoount of flow, and corals you want to keep.

 

The only real dead spot looks like behind the larger rock structure on the left(looking at the tank from front). Looks like structure pretty close to the overflow.maybe you could remove the middle island, slide the large structure over slightly to open up the flow, and then put the little island far on the left there. Worst case you move it and dont like it....you are doing the right thing to put alot of thought into this now instead of later!

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Lots of work went into that, well done.

 

If it were me, I'd leave the center out..gives more swimspace, and gaps just look cool once you get corals growing sideways and upward, etc.

 

Another benefit is flow...water likes the path of least resistance, if you put that center in, you can redirect some flow, which may or may not be a good thing, depending on amoount of flow, and corals you want to keep.

 

The only real dead spot looks like behind the larger rock structure on the left(looking at the tank from front). Looks like structure pretty close to the overflow.maybe you could remove the middle island, slide the large structure over slightly to open up the flow, and then put the little island far on the left there. Worst case you move it and dont like it....you are doing the right thing to put alot of thought into this now instead of later!

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Lots of work went into that, well done.

 

If it were me, I'd leave the center out..gives more swimspace, and gaps just look cool once you get corals growing sideways and upward, etc.

 

Another benefit is flow...water likes the path of least resistance, if you put that center in, you can redirect some flow, which may or may not be a good thing, depending on amoount of flow, and corals you want to keep.

 

The only real dead spot looks like behind the larger rock structure on the left(looking at the tank from front). Looks like structure pretty close to the overflow.maybe you could remove the middle island, slide the large structure over slightly to open up the flow, and then put the little island far on the left there. Worst case you move it and dont like it....you are doing the right thing to put alot of thought into this now instead of later!

Swim space is exactly the reason I am wavering on having it in there. Plus I like the look of the open space a bit more I think.

The left structure actually has more space between it and the overflow than it appears however if I remove the center it would only be a benefit to move it a bit more.

I really gotta say though,working with a dry tank and rock and having the time to build it, change it, build it, change it.... You get the point, and not having to worry about die off has been so stress relieving. Its hard to tell in the photos but these structures are pretty large, im guessing 150lb at minimum. This part of a tank build I almost hate the most, mostly because I'm never satisfied. However this go around not being pressured I almost had fun.

 

Here's a shot with the center removed. My apologies for the crappy cell photos.

 

CE80201B-0932-43F2-A4DF-45482D6555EC_zps

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Rock work looks nice man. I like what you did with the egg crate on the bottom, I had that idea also for when I set up my next tank. Are you planning on just putting sand over the egg crate or going "bare bottom", sorry if you had already said and I missed it?

I'll be using a shallow sand bed. 1 -1 1/2 in or so. I used the egg crate for a few reasons. First being it eliminates pressure points on the glass, with my structures being so large I wanted a more even dispersion of weight and this helps. Secondly if for any reason I had an avalanche or a piece did fall it won't have a chance to just smack the glass. I've never had a tank this large and all I can think of are what ifs. I tend to be a pessimist.

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I hear you on the breaking the bottom. I was planning on using it mainly so the rocks don't slide, in my current tank (72 bow) some of the rocks have shifted due to my cucumbers moving sand around. This is my first dry start tank and put the sand in first then the rock, thought that would distribute the weight best, FAIL! lol. I know better now for the next tank.

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I hear you on the breaking the bottom. I was planning on using it mainly so the rocks don't slide, in my current tank (72 bow) some of the rocks have shifted due to my cucumbers moving sand around. This is my first dry start tank and put the sand in first then the rock, thought that would distribute the weight best, FAIL! lol. I know better now for the next tank.

.

 

 

I'd never place rock on top of sand. That's asking for issue, like pointing a loaded gun at your foot.

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Ya kinda found that out once my large rocks started shifting. Ya normally I do a fair amount of research before starting a new project, I kinda got pushed into the saltwater thing, I started out just watching over the tank till he sold it. Neither of us knew much about the hobby, since taking over the tank I've learn and researched a lot, but like most of us I am still learning everyday.

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That is some sexy rockwork.

When is this tank going to get wet?

Soon I hope. It's ready for water at this point, but of course it just so happens that where I live water consumption during Jan and Feb determines my sewer rate for the year. Yay. U can only imagine the volume wasted through an RODI to make 300 gal.

 

Anyone think its a bad idea to cycle the rock with tap water?

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Two months!!! Get some bacteria in a bottle and some prime. They work very well after my crash. I hade to put everything back in my new tank 3 days after i added water (fish and coral). Don't lose anything including sps. Now if you can wait it's not a bad thing but imo with the modern products now days you can avoid a lot of the cycle process. Or you can dose ammonia and bacteria and cycle your tank in a week.

Now I have done both of these and both work great FOR ME others may of had differing opinions and results.

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Two months!!! Get some bacteria in a bottle and some prime. They work very well after my crash. I hade to put everything back in my new tank 3 days after i added water (fish and coral). Don't lose anything including sps. Now if you can wait it's not a bad thing but imo with the modern products now days you can avoid a lot of the cycle process. Or you can dose ammonia and bacteria and cycle your tank in a week.

Now I have done both of these and both work great FOR ME others may of had differing opinions and results.

 

Tell me more.... I've never heard of this approach.

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Basically your dosing ammonia till you hit the one parts per billion Mark and then you got a bunch of bottled bacteria and then that feeds off the ammonia and then you can keep doseing the ammonia at one part per million until the bacteria can eat up that one part per million of ammonia in a 24 hour period in your tank. Now it's cycled and ready for fish I think it took my tank roughly 6 or 7 days maybe topsI did this when I first set up my tank last year. I believe they caught fishless cycle you can Google it there's a lot of good information out there on in the process.

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6 or 7 days is pretty conservative. Very safe. It is possible to do it all at once as well. I have never put corals in on day one, but have done it with thousands of fish (I used to breed). Just make sure to get pure non scented ammonia. I used to buy gallons at the dollar store.

 

There is a formula around on how much ammonia will raise the level to 1ppm. Just try not to exceed that number as over dosing can actually kill the bacteria too.

 

I'm pretty sure Stu does the instant cycle too. As in you put the water and the rock, then the bacteria, then the fish and corals all at the same time. Maybe hit him up.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

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